835 Remaining Relative visa (subclass 835)

At a Glance

Item	Details
Visa name	Remaining Relative visa (subclass 835)
Visa type	Permanent
Stay	Indefinitely
Cost	From AUD6,600
Payment	Two instalments
Apply from	Australia only
Decision location	Australia only
Eligibility	Remaining relative with eligible sponsor
Work rights	Work in Australia
Study	Study in Australia
Medicare	Eligible to enrol
Travel facility	Multiple travel for five years
Citizenship	May apply if eligible
Family sponsorship	Can sponsor relatives
Family inclusion	Include eligible family members
Visa record	Digitally linked to passport
Processing	Capped and queued; potentially lengthy
Obligations	Obey Australian laws

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Purpose

The Remaining Relative visa is for people in Australia who want to remain permanently with their only close family members in Australia.

Stay and Rights

This is a permanent visa. You can:

• Stay in Australia indefinitely.
• Work and study in Australia.
• Enrol in Medicare.
• Sponsor eligible relatives to come to Australia.
• Attend free Adult Migrant English Program classes, if eligible.
• Apply for Australian citizenship, if eligible.

For citizenship purposes, permanent residence starts on the visa grant date.

Newly arrived residents may need to wait before accessing certain Australian Government payments and benefits.

Eligibility

You must:

• Be in Australia when you apply and when the visa is decided.
• Be a remaining relative of an Australian citizen, Australian permanent resident, or eligible New Zealand citizen.
• Have an approved eligible sponsor.
• Obtain an assurance of support when requested.
• Meet health and character requirements.
• Repay any Australian Government debt, or have an approved repayment arrangement.
• Meet Australian values requirements if aged 18 or over.
• Have a valid passport before the visa can be granted.

The visa will not be granted if it is not in the best interests of an applicant under 18.

Remaining-relative requirement

The visa will not be granted if you or your partner have a near relative who:

• Usually lives outside Australia; or
• Lives in Australia unlawfully; or
• Holds a temporary visa, including a bridging visa, unless they are an eligible New Zealand citizen.

Sponsor requirements

Your sponsor must be an eligible:

• Parent or step-parent;
• Sibling or step-sibling; or
• Partner of your eligible relative.

The sponsor must:

• Be aged 18 or over.
• Be a settled Australian citizen, permanent resident, or eligible New Zealand citizen.
• Complete Form 40 Sponsorship for migration to Australia.
• Have their sponsorship approved.

Family Members

You can include members of your family unit when applying, or add them before a decision is made.

Applicants included in the application must meet health and character requirements. Non-migrating family members might also need to meet these requirements.

Dependent children

A dependent child can be included if they are:

• Under 18; or
• Aged 18 to under 23 and dependent on you or your partner; or
• Aged over 23, dependent, and unable to support themselves because of physical or cognitive limitations.

For dependent children aged 18 or over, provide Form 47a and evidence of at least 12 months’ financial dependency.

Children under 18

For each child under 18, provide consent from every person who has a legal right to decide where the child lives and is not migrating with them.

Use either:

• Form 1229 Consent form to grant an Australian visa to a child under the age of 18; or
• A statutory declaration giving consent.

If the child will not stay with a relative or legal guardian, provide Form 1257 Undertaking declaration.

Cost

The visa costs AUD6,600. An additional charge applies for each family member included in the application.

You pay in two instalments:

1. First instalment when applying.
2. Second instalment when requested.

Other possible costs include health examinations, police certificates and biometrics.

Pacific Island and Timor-Leste concession

From 1 July 2026, a lower visa application charge applies to eligible citizens of:

• Federated States of Micronesia
• Fiji
• Kiribati
• Nauru
• Palau
• Papua New Guinea
• Republic of the Marshall Islands
• Samoa
• Solomon Islands
• Timor-Leste
• Tonga
• Tuvalu
• Vanuatu

The primary applicant must hold a valid passport from one of these countries. Eligible family members can receive the lower charge based on the primary applicant’s or visa holder’s passport.

Processing

Applications are subject to capping and queueing. Demand exceeds the available number of Other Family visa places, so processing may be lengthy.

Processing may take longer if:

• Forms are incomplete or incorrect.
• Required documents are missing.
• Further information is needed.
• Information takes longer to verify.

The Department cannot process an application unless the correct visa application charge is paid.

Documents and Evidence

Provide accurate information and documents. Failure to prove your identity may result in:

• Visa refusal.
• Ineligibility for another visa for 10 years.
• Ineligibility for listed family members for 10 years.

Identity documents

Provide:

• Passport pages showing photo, personal details, issue and expiry dates.
• National identity card, if available.
• Evidence of any name change.

Name-change evidence may include marriage, divorce, adoption or official change-of-name documents.

Relationship and sponsor evidence

Provide documents proving your relationship with the sponsor, such as:

• Birth certificates.
• Marriage certificates.
• Death certificates.
• Adoption certificates.
• Official family status certificates or family books.

Provide evidence that the sponsor is eligible, such as:

• Australian citizenship certificate.
• Passport.
• Valid visa for an eligible New Zealand citizen.

Partner evidence

Provide identity and character documents for your partner. Also provide either:

• A current marriage certificate; or
• Evidence of a de facto relationship lasting at least 12 months before application.

Examples include joint bank accounts, bills, leases, mortgages and evidence of living together.

Translation and certification

• Translate all non-English documents into English.
• Include the original document and translation.
• Australian translators must be NAATI accredited.
• Send original police certificates.
• Send certified copies of other documents.

How to Apply

You must apply on paper while in Australia.

1. Complete Form 47OF Application for migration to Australia by other family members.
2. Have your sponsor complete Form 40 Sponsorship for migration to Australia.
3. Complete forms in English.
4. Pay the first instalment through ImmiAccount before submitting.
5. Include evidence that payment was made.
6. Send the application, forms and certified supporting documents by post or courier to the Parent, Child and Other Family Processing Centre in Perth, Western Australia, using the address in the form.

You cannot submit the application in person. Do not send original documents, except original police certificates where required.

Incomplete applications may be invalid and will not be processed.

After Applying

After receiving an acknowledgement letter, you can import the paper application into ImmiAccount. This allows you to:

• Upload documents.
• View messages and application status.
• Update details.
• Apply for a bridging visa.
• Withdraw the application.

From 23 July 2025, applicants for this and specified Other Family visas can import paper applications into ImmiAccount. Some applications lodged outside Australia before 25 June 2020 cannot be imported.

You must:

• Stay lawful in Australia while waiting.
• Hold a valid visa.
• Pay the second instalment when invoiced.
• Tell the Department about changes to contact details, passport, relationship status or family composition.
• Notify the Department of mistakes using Form 1023 Notification of incorrect answers.

Do not cancel your current visa. Cancelling it may make you unlawful and ineligible for a bridging visa.

If you travel while the application is being processed, ensure you hold a valid visa to return. You must be in Australia when the Department decides the application.

Travel

You can travel to and from Australia as often as you wish for five years from visa grant, while the travel facility remains valid.

After the initial five-year travel facility expires, you need a Resident Return visa to re-enter Australia as a permanent resident.

If you become an Australian citizen, you need an Australian passport to leave and re-enter Australia.

Check travel-facility expiry and visa conditions through VEVO.

Obligations and Visa Evidence

You and included family members must obey Australian laws.

The visa is digitally linked to your passport. You will not receive a visa label. Use VEVO to check and prove visa details, conditions, work and study entitlements.